Gelators have found uses in numerous industrial applications ranging from oil and gas, to inks, and to personal care products, such as makeup, creams and lotions. Provided herein are gelator materials that can be used for enhancing the properties of waxes, such as increasing the melting point and softening temperature of the waxes (i.e., temperature at which wax becomes transparent).
Most vehicles including waxes and hydrocarbons have low melting points ranging from 50° C. to 70° C. In various industrial applications, it is beneficial to incorporate vehicles having higher melting points. For Example, in ink jet printing of hot melt (phase-change) inks the phase-change inks contain a significant percentage of vehicles, e.g., waxes, that melt at a much higher melting points than the typical range of from 50° C. to 70° C., e.g., at 100° C. or higher, or at 120° C. or higher. Thus, there exists a need to enhance the properties of vehicles (e.g., waxes), particularly in phase-change inks, for improved robustness and modify their properties (e.g., melting points, dropping points and softening points).
Ink jet printing processes may employ inks that are solid at room temperature and liquid at elevated temperatures. Such inks may be referred to as solid inks, hot melt inks, phase change inks and the like. In ink jet printing processes employing hot melt inks, the solid ink is melted by the heater in the printing apparatus and utilized (jetted) as a liquid in a manner similar to that of conventional ink jet printing. Upon contact with the printing recording medium, the molten ink solidifies rapidly, allowing the colorant to substantially remain on the surface of the recording medium instead of being carried into the recording medium (for example, paper) by capillary action, thereby enabling higher print density than is generally obtained with liquid inks. Advantages of a phase change ink in ink jet printing are thus elimination of potential spillage of the ink during handling, a wide range of print density and quality, minimal paper cockle or distortion, reduced print-through, and enablement of indefinite periods of nonprinting without the danger of nozzle clogging, even without capping the nozzles.